Key Highlights
- Manchester United Women will wear their black third kit at home against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.
- The kit clash between the teams was resolved by an urgent change of attire before the match.
- This is not the first kit-related issue faced by Manchester United this season in their Champions League campaign.
Man Utd’s Black Third Kit: A Last-Minute Fix
Naturally, United were preparing to wear red shirts, black shorts and black socks in front of their home support. Yet, an unexpected twist at the last minute forced them to don their all-black third kit.
The Clashing Colors
According to a press release from Manchester United, a yellow shirt had originally been approved for the Atletico goalkeeper to wear. However, upon seeing the clash in person, match officials declared that a kit change was required.
It turned out that Atletico Madrid did not bring both the orange and yellow shirts with them due to having the kits pre-approved on the UEFA app. The responsibility for resolving this issue fell on the hosts, United, who were thus forced to wear their all-black third kit during Wednesday’s home game.
A Previous Kit Crisis
This is not the first time Manchester United have experienced kit trouble in their Champions League campaign this season. Last September, before their 1-0 defeat to SK Brann in a first-leg qualifier, several players’ boots went missing during the team’s trip to Bergen, Norway from Manchester.
The club was forced to urgently purchase 15 pairs of replacement boots and 20 sets of shin guards from a local shop hours before kickoff. This incident underscores the challenges faced by teams in ensuring they are fully prepared for their matches.
Upcoming Challenges
Manchester United Women will host Atletico Madrid on Thursday evening, where they aim to continue their impressive performance in the Champions League. The team has already secured a 3-0 victory over Atletico in the first leg of their quarter-final play-off match last week in Spain.
The match is crucial for United’s progression as they have already booked their place in the quarter-finals, where they will face Bayern Munich if successful. However, the absence of key players such as Anna Sandberg and Jayde Riviere due to injuries adds another layer of complexity to the upcoming fixture.
Coach’s Perspective
Head coach Marc Skinner expressed hope that Sweden winger Fridolina Rolfo could return for Sunday’s FA Cup fifth-round match against Chelsea, adding a positive note amidst the recent challenges. However, the immediate focus remains on ensuring United can make it through to the next stage of the Champions League despite these last-minute hiccups.
